FDIC Sold $470 Million Commercial Loans In March At 46.4 Cents On The Dollar

By IBT Staff Reporter On 05/11/09 AT 6:02 PM

When Zero Hedge previously demonstrated the results of FDIC commercial loan auctions and the discount the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was willing to take in order to offload commercial loans (both non-performing and performing) from its books, the result was very startling, specifically when considered in the context of the vocal endorsement Ms. Bair had given to the PPIP's Legacy Loan program and the expected commercial loan clearing levels in the 80s and 90s. At that time Zero Hedge concluded that it was very hypocritical for the FDIC to solicit banks in offloading loans, and for hedge funds to buy them at out of market prices (especially with taxpayer-subsidized guarantees for hedge fund purchases, compliments of the administration, Geithner and Bair).

The facts: in April, the average auction clearing price on the 331 loans the FDIC sold in January and February was 49.3%. In March, the number of loans FDIC sold in various auctions increased almost four-fold to 1,328, for a total of $470 million in book values of sales, with the average price dropping even more: the latest being at 46.4%. So much for a stabilization in the commercial real estate market.

And for those who claim that this price is distorted because it includes several non-performing loans, well - we have a control for that too. Compiling just the data from performing loans gives a great auction clearing price boost to... 51%.

Yes, the same FDIC which is advocating using taxpayer money to endorse and guarantee legacy loan sales as part of the PPIP in the 80/90 cents on the dollar range, continues selling performing commercial loans at about 50% off their book value. Ms. Bair's hypocrisy continues to amaze.

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